Method of treating boiler return water and apparatus therefor



July 21, 1936.

' METHOD OF TREATING BOILER RETURN WATER AND APPARATUS THEREFOR A. G.ANGELY Filed Sept. 7, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4s 47 45 :4s 25 51 v T P 1069 I 4 3 27 2 I l Snventof ALFRED G. ANGELY 3 Cittorneg July 21, 1936.A. G. ANGELY METHOD OF TREATING BOILER RETURN WATER AND APPARATUS THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Sept. 7, 1933 ALFRED GANG- LY 8g (IttornegY'UNITED STATES PATENT Patented July 21, 1936 angels ICE METHOD OFTREATING' BOILER RETURN WATER AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Alfred G. Angely,Horsham, Pa.

Application September 7, 1933, Serial No. 688,429

2 Claims. (01. 210-432) My invention relates to a new and useful methodof treating boiler return water, and apparatus therefor, whereby thewater of condensation derived from the condensers of steam orsteamturbines or other steam-powered machinery, may be more readily andmore efficiently used again in the boiler, without the harmfultransmission to the boiler of oil and solid matter which return-watergenerally contains.

It is an object of my present invention to so treat the condensed water,prior to its return to the boiler, as to free it entirely of all oil, aswell as from all solid matter.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists insubjecting the condensed water to the successive influence of gravity,change in velocity and absorption, thereby to separate, on one hand, theoil content thereof, and to separate, on the other hand, the solid content thereof; My invention further consists of other novel features ofmethod and apparatus, all of which will appear more fully from thefollowing detailed description.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawings, one form thereof which is at present preferred byme, since the same has been found in practice to givesatisfactory andreliable results, although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized and that my. invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as-hereinshown and described.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicatelike parts:

Figure 1 represents a somewhat diagrammatic or vertical elevational viewof the method and apparatus of my present invention applied to anyconventional steam power plate, including boiler, steam power unit, andcondenser.

Figure 2 represents a vertical sectional view of chamber numbered 2 inFigure 1.

Figure 3 represents a vertical sectional view of chamber numbered 3 inFigure 1.

Figure 4 represents a vertical sectional view of chamber numbered 4 inFigure 1.

In the lower portion of Figure 1, I have illustrated in a diagrammaticmanner, a conventional steam power plate, including boiler B, engine E,and condenser C. The boiler, engine and condenser may be of anyconventional type and construction, and are shown merely for purpose ofillustration.

The condensed water, resulting in the condenser C is conveyed throughthe pipe Ill, to the chamber number 2, which is preferably a generallycylindrical metallicshell, as shown particularly in Figure 2. The wateris admitted into an upper compartment l l within an inner cylindricalmember I2, which is separated by the horizontal perforated plate 13, andthe upper end of which is closed by the upper plate It having an outletpipe i5 extending through the detachable cover I8 of the chamber 2.

The Water entering thechamber l0 first undergoes a sudden decrease invelocity, owing to the enlargement of the cross-sectional area of theflow, as it enters the chamber l I. In addition to this reduction in thevelocity of flow, the direction of flow is changed to a downwarddirection through the perforations I! in the plate l3. The water thenflows downwardlyv at the much reduced velocity through a more or lessloose mass ofbroken soapstone or pumice-stone IS, in the lower portionof the cylinder l2. The lower portion of the cylinder I2 is perforatedas at l9, and also contains a similar perforated bottom 20.

The inner cylinder 12 is surrounded by a canvas bag 2|. Beneath thecylinder I2 is a grating 22, intermediate said cylinder and the bottomterminal member or cover 23 of the chamber 2. A lower outlet 24 isprovided in the terminal cap member 23. The upper outlet i5 is providedwith a suitable control valve 25, while the lower outlet 24 is providedwith another suitable control valve 26. r

The water then passes from the lower portion of 'the'cylinder' l2,through the pipe 21, into the lower portion of the second chamber orcylinder 3, shown particularly in Figure 3, where it partly enters theperforated metallic inner shell 28 filled with pumice-stone 29 andsurrounded by the canvas bag 30. The water again undergoes a suddenreduction in velocity. Part of the water, either through the innerperforated shell 28, or around the same, enters an upper perforatedmetallic shell 3|, surrounded first by the wire basket or wire cylinder32, and surrounded by the outer perforated metallic shell 33, and canvasbag 34. Here the water, still traveling upwardly with a relatively lowvelocity, comes in contact with a mass of more or less loose rags orother absorbent material 35, and then passes out through the pipe 36 atan increased velocity, into chamber number 4, where it enters the upperportion thereof, and passes through the canvas bag 31 into the innerperforated metallic shell 38. Here it is again subjected to the actionof the more or less loose mass of pumice-stone or soap-stone 39, at areduced velocity and traveling in a. downward direction towards theoutlet 40.

The perforated metallic shell 38 is also provided with a perforatedbottom, and beneath it a series of suitable gratings 4| are disposed.

Above the perforated metallic shell 38, a wire gauze basket 42 ispositioned beneath the detachable cover plate 43 of the cylinder orchamber 4.

The cylinder or chamber 3 is provided with an upper outlet 43, and loweroutlet 44, each controlled by corresponding valves 45 and 46,

respectively, while the chamber or cylinder 4 is! provided with asimilar upper outlet 4'! and lower outlet 48, controlled by valves 49and 50, 7 respectively.

The upper control valves 25, 45, and, are

preferably connected to a common take-off pipe 5|, while the lowercontrol valves 26, 44 and 50' of velocity or motion, whilesimultaneously sub-' jected to the separating and absorptive action ofthe canvas walls and broken-stone masses.

' ber, without being disturbed by the general flow It will be observedalso that at the upper end of each of the chambers Z, 3, and 4, is adead liquid space wherein the separated oil can float on top of the bodyof water which fills the chain'- of water'through the chamber." Thus,while the flow of water takes place generally between the inlet andoutlet or between the level of the inlet and the level of the outlet ofeach chamber (the control valves'being all normally closed), the

upper portion of the chamber is undisturbed. The lower portion of'each'chamber is similarly undisturbed, being below the level of eitherthe inlet or the outlet. In this manner, the sepa-- rated oil floats andgathers at the top of each chambexyand is periodically drawn ofi bytem-f porarily opening the respective control valves'25,

45, and 49, for a time just suficiently long enough todraw ofi thecollected oil, (plus a small amount of water). The solid sediment, onthe other hand, settles in the lower part of each chamber,

and is periodically drawn off, (and washed out with some water) throughthe valves 26, 46 and Letters Patent, is: Y H V g g g 1; In apparatl'isfor separating. impurities in 50, which are also periodically opened fora short space of time.

It has been found in practice that a single charge of stone and canvasin; a system of this character, will operate efficiently for arelatively long period of time, requiring'renewal only at the amount ofoil and sedimentcarried by the return water). 'It has been also found in.practice, however, that this system will efficiently .and continuouslyremove oil and sediment from the return water to such an extent as. torender the operation of the boiler, as a whole, more efilcient. I j

" I am aware that my invention may be embodied .wide intervals(depending naturally, somewhat on in other specific. forms withoutdeparting from V the spirit or essential'attributes thereof, and Itherefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in'all respectsas illustrative and not restrictive,.-reference being had to'the'appended claims rather than to the foregoing descriptionto'indicate the scope of the invention. Having'thus described myinvention, what I hereby claim "as new and desire to secure by eludingoil'and s'olidmatter from boiler returnwater, a casing having aquiescentdead-liquid space in its upper portion, an inlet forcontaminated water in said space below the top thereof,

an outlet, for oil ancl other floating impurities in the top of saidspace, filter material filling the casing below said space, alowerquiescent deadliquid space below said filter material and in the bottomof the casing'for receiving non-fioating named space, and an outlet forpurified water opening into the casing at'the level of the :filtermaterial.

' 2. In apparatus for separating impurities in eluding oil and solidmatter from boilerr'eturnimpurities, a drain in'the bottom of the lastwater, a casing having a quiescent dead-liquid space, an inlet forcontaminated water in said space below the top thereof, an outlet foroil .and otherfioating impurities in the top of said space, aflsecondquiescent dead-liquid space for nonefioating impurities, a drain in thebottom or said space, an outlet for purified water above said secondspace, filter material covering the V mouth of said out et, and anelement interposed between said outletand said second space having anopening through which non-floating im-J,

purities may pass into said second space.

ALFRED G. ANGELY...

